In pictures: Sunderbans, the land of man-eating tigers
- Published
Sunderbans is a cluster of 54 tiny islands located in the southern part of the Indian state of West Bengal. It's also the land of man-eating tigers where dozens of people are killed every year by the big cats and local villagers say the number of attacks is increasing. Here, a boat moves through one of the many rivers in the Sunderbans delta. (Photographs: Arindam Mukherjee/Agency Genesis)
The delta is covered by mangrove forests and vast saline mud flats. Criss-crossing narrow creeks, canals and rivers mark this marshy forest land. Here, a boatman prays on his boat.
Experts say climate change is forcing humans and tigers here into closer contact, leading to the rising attacks on people.
Fishermen, honey-gatherers and poachers who venture deep into the forest are particularly vulnerable.
Honey gatherers are provided masks by the forest department before they enter the forest. Forest officials say tigers normally attack from behind and masks are supposed to fool them.
A flag tied to a pole - called Jhamti - is put up in an area where a tiger killing or an attack has taken place to warn off other forest-bound men in the Sunderbans.
Villagers are employed by the forest department in the Sunderbans to put nets around the borders in an effort to stop the tigers from entering villages.
Rita Mandal's husband Srinath was killed by a tiger in April 2011. Today, she is the sole bread-winner for their three children.
In village after village across this region, there are similar tales of mourning, young widows whose husbands have been killed by the big cat. Here, a widow stands on the embankment at the back of her thatched house.
Local custom forbids wives to wear vermilion - a symbol of marriage for Hindu women - in their hair until their men return from the forest. Here, Nirmal Gayen's wife Anjana applies vermillion after he returns from the jungle.
According to the official count, hundreds of tigers live in the forests of Sunderbans.
Fisherman and honey-gatherer Rabin Majumdar was attacked by a tiger while at work inside the deep forest. He escaped death but hasn't dared to enter the forest ever since.